Fling Theory for Windows Phone 8 updated, now totally free to play

A couple of weeks ago we interviewed Canadian indie developer the Coding Jar about their premiere Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 game, Fling Theory. We discussed the game’s origins, how it plays, and the studio’s future plans.

What Coding Jar didn’t reveal was that the game would be getting an update soon. They’ve just published a major update to the Windows Phone version that makes the game entirely free to play, with no need to pay for new levels. The update for the Windows 8 version is still pending. Full details and the download link after the break!

Lots of fixes

Before we outline the big changes in the Fling Theory version 1.3 update, let’s reveal the smaller ones. Several areas of the game received minor improvements:

Performance

Tutorials

Aiming

I’m not quite so familiar with the game that I can spot exactly how these aspects of the game have changed, but the tutorials that pop up whenever a new puzzle mechanic gets introduced do seem spot on. Aiming works well too, with a nice guideline showing the path your particle will take when you fling it.

A new payment model

Originally, Fling Theory launched with 23 free levels for players to enjoy. To get more levels, a user could buy an extra level pack for a buck. The game also displayed ads which could be disabled with another In-App Purchase (IAP).

The pre-update IAP prices were quite low, but they still functioned as a barrier towards completing the game for some players. Hence the latest update drops the need to pay for additional levels. It also changes the way levels are accessed and adds a new coin-collecting mechanic.

Now the game’s level sets are divided into seven themed worlds. Each world after the first costs coins to unlock. You’ll find coins scattered throughout every level. Sometimes they line the proper path to completing the level; other times they take more work to collect.

I finished the first world with enough coins to unlock the second level set and a few left over. Subsequent worlds cost more coins to unlock however. Coins can only be collected once, so you’ll have to replay levels and discover new solutions in order to get them all.

In-App Purchases and Advertisements

Players who’d rather progress to the higher levels immediately can opt to buy coin packs via IAP. They come in packs that cost either one or two dollars. Finally, just like before the update, you can still disable in-game advertisements for a dollar.

The ads don’t show up all the time, but when they do they’re kind of obtrusive. It’s like the game wasn’t designed around showing ads, so they clutter the display up more than necessary. You can close an individual ad to get it out of the way though, which is cool. Still, I’d rather just pay once and get them out of my hair.

Get flinging

Fling Theory is a physics-based puzzle game that takes place on an incredibly small scale. Instead of flinging birds around, you’ll play as a microscopic electron in a scientist’s lab. The goal is always to get from one side of the test chamber to the exit on the other side. Will you be clever enough to solve every puzzle and grab all the coins?

Fling Theory for Windows Phone 8 updated, now totally free to play

Ok, i will asi something here since its technically about the topic, if I buy things via iap, it's not like the store that I can download them again for free if I uninstall the game or format or switch phones? My nephew spend like 20 dollars on gun bros and I removed it, so I want to know if I can get those back when I installed the game

Hopefully, when you pay for a unlock it should stay unlocked regardless of how they muck with the IAP/Unlock process.
I haven't made any IAPs on my WP.... do they go through MS? I assume that's why IAP have to be made and paid through the Apple App store, or Google Play and (hopefully) MS Store...they do all the record keeping and make sure you don't get locked out of something you've paid for, even on another device.
Innane comment about 2x charge for Fruit Ninja in 3...2...1...

There are two types of IAP, one is "consumable" and one is "durable". Durable IAP will stick with you regardless of if you uninstall the app or not, sometimes you have to ask to re-buy it, but the store will remember that you've bought it and just ask you to "install" it again. Previously in Fling Theory, we had a durable IAP for a level pack. If you were an early adopter and bought the level pack before we made everything free, we make sure to unlock everything if you install the game again.
Consumable IAPs are ones that can be "consumed" so their value can be used up and therefore can be re-purchased. Games with currency use this type (as you should always be able to buy coin packs). Fling Theory has this type now too (the coin packs), and unfortunately you would lose the value if you uninstall. Games like this will only keep your IAP value if it connects to a third party server to store your currency (Fling Theory does not, but Candy Crush probably does as do most Facebook-enabled games).
This is the same way it works on iOS and Google Play.